You Light Up My Life
by GateSeeker2
Summary: Sam lights up Jack's life. Pure Christmas fluff. No real plot just sweet and simple and looking into the life of two wonderful characters and seeing what they're doing for the holidays.


**Title:** "You Light Up My Life"

**Copyright:** © 2014

**Written:** November 22, 2014

**Author:** "GateSeeker2"

**E-mail: **See profile

**Status:** Complete – only one part - one shot

**Sequel/Series:** N/A

**Summary:** Sam lights up Jack's life. Pure Christmas fluff. No real plot just sweet and simple. Looking into the lives of two wonderful characters and seeing what they're doing for the holidays.

**Season:** Post eight – a what if set in present day.

**Spoilers:** None

**Category:** Humor/Romance

**Central Characters:** Sam Carter and Jack O'Neill

**Pairing:** Sam and Jack

**Rating:** K-T

**Legend: **

Ellipses (…) - indicates a pausing or a hesitation in a person's speech as well as indicating unfinished sentences.

Words in **bold** **type** indicates words that the character is attempting to emphasize.

**Warnings:** None.

**File Size:** 33 KB as a Microsoft Word Document

**Archive:** .net

Reproducing or posting on other sites is not permitted.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author.

**You Light Up My Life**

It was a beautiful autumn Saturday morning in Arlington, Virginia. The sun was shining brightly and the temperature was already a lovely 62 degrees Fahrenheit at 0800 hours.

"Why do I always have to be in charge of the lights?" An exasperated Sam asked her preoccupied husband as he was kneeling awkwardly on the floor near the front window.

Without looking at his wife he answered, "'Cause you're the electrician."

Pausing in mid-action and looking up at her husband who was trying to fit together the rather large fake tree stand, "I am NOT an electrician." She stressed lightheartedly.

"Close enough." He replied unfazed.

Letting out a slight chuckle while resting the lights temporarily on her lap, she smirked, "It is not."

"Sure it is. You're a physicist." It was clearly a logical association for her husband but she was missing the point.

"So?" Sam asked wondering how he came to that conclusion.

"It's all about science," he said with his back to her.

"Jack!" She couldn't help but roll her eyes slightly. "A theoretical astrophysicist is nothing like an electrician."

"Nothing theoretical about you." It was said as a simple statement of fact but it was definitely meant as a compliment.

"True. But the two professions are nothing alike." She said going back to the seemingly archaic strand of twisted and tangled lights.

"Sure they are." He said while finally snapping the tree base together. "Yes!"

"How long did it take you to put that together?" She looked up slightly and frowned.

"What?" He finally turned to see his beautiful wife sitting crossed legged on the floor in front of the fireplace surrounded by a multitude of lights.

"The stand?" She gestured with a rather large outdoor light bulb in her hand.

Taking a moment to glance back to the stand that was still a bit off center, Jack pointed to it, "Hey, that's complex machinery." He gestured with the hand that was sporting two recently bandaged fingers from his recent ordeal while assembling the tree base.

"Riiiggghhhttt." She drawled out. "Whatever," she smiled and giggled at the goofy smile her husband's face sported. "How come we're not getting a real tree this year?" Sam loved, when free time permitted, the hunt for the perfect tree, lugging it home and having the incredible fresh pine scent permeate the house.

"No time this year." He stated as if it was quite rational this year. Before Sam could say anything else he clapped his hands then stood and switched topics, "So, you 'bout done or what?" He gestured to the large knotted bundle of lights.

Letting out a small huff, she looked up at him and replied, "No Jack I'm not even close to being done."

"Really?" He thought it unlikely that she wasn't done. She's always so quick with these kind of projects.

"Yes Jack really. Besides you haven't even put that silly fake tree together yet."

"Ah, but it won't take but a minute now." He raised his right index finger in the air as if to punctuate his assessment.

"That's what you said about the stand." She grinned back at him.

"The stand was unusually tricky." He stared puzzled, with a quirked lip and a raised eyebrow, at the stand and the two "extra" parts that were lying nearby it.

"Why do we even **have** so many lights?" She couldn't believe all these lights came from their meager Christmas supply boxes. Perhaps there was another box Jack had that she never knew existed. She was certain that she had never seen these lights before now. After all, she always made sure that their few lights were neatly separated and repackaged in almost original condition for storage so that they'd be ready for the next Christmas season. Sam was almost thinking that Jack must have purposefully gotten into the lights just to jumble them up for her. She was becoming increasingly flustered as to the tangled condition of these lights. Plus, these lights weren't the newer LED lights that she had purchased over the last couple of years. These were older styled large sized outdoor lights. But he had insisted earlier that he wanted to put these lights outside on the house this year.

"Those came from Mrs. Leonard next door."

She stopped what she was doing and waited for more of an explanation but Jack obviously didn't think anything else needed to be said as he began to assemble the "tree."

"And?" She prompted.

"She had a garage sale last month."

Now she realized. "Oh no! We are not putting someone else's lights of questionable vintage on our house." And she quickly began to pile the old lights back in the old card board box.

Jack turned to look at her, "They'll be fine."

"Absolutely **not**." Her tone left little to discussion.

"Oh come on Sam!" Jack now kneeling to face her while holding two artificial tree limbs, one in each hand, and gestured to the box. "I got a steal of a deal on lots of her old lawn decorations."

"No."

"I got 'em for the guys."

"No."

"There's nothing wrong with 'em."

"No."

"For cyrin' out loud, why not?" Jack O'Neill was not sounding like a whining little boy.

After putting the last strand inside the box and folding up the top flaps, Sam let out a sigh and uttered a succinct explanation. "I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night to find our house on fire from faulty wiring."

"Oh please…." He waved away her complaint with a tree branch.

"No." She stated simply while gracefully getting to her feet and placing her hands on her hips.

"But Sam I want…."

"Noooo Jack." Her words halted whatever else he was going to say. She walked the few steps to him and looked down. His expression was clearly deflated.

Kneeling down beside him she asked lovingly, "What all did you buy?"

"Huh?"

"At the garage sale? What did you buy?"

Feeling like his plans were going bust and thinking he had nothing to lose, he rattled off his list. "Well, there's that old box of," he started in a bit of a dejected tone as he motioned across the room, "lights of course." Turning to look her in the eye, "Which I'm sure are perfectly good."

Shaking her head as she moved and sat beside him, "What else?" She asked as she tried to recall what the sweet older neighbor had displayed on her front lawn the last few years. She remembered how Jack loved to walk the neighborhood at night and view the lovely decorations.

Running his fingers through his hair while still holding the artificial limb as he sat down beside Sam he continued, "This tree," he gestured over his shoulder.

"Ok. What else?" She almost dreaded hearing.

Jack blew out a breath with puffy cheeks then smiled, "There's this really cool blowup jet with a Santa in goggles! There's a couple of reindeer and a Christmas Pig! There's also…."

Sam watched as his face transformed with a boyish grin. She listened as he spoke about the remaining items. It was clear that for some reason this was important to him.

As Jack finished his long list he looked up to see Sam smiling her 'just for him' smile. "What?"

"I love you, Jack." It was a simple genuine statement born out of years of trusting him.

"Love you too." Jack replied automatically and leaned in to give her a quick kiss. As he pulled back from her he slowly bestowed upon her his most sexy irresistible grin and almost purred. "So does this mean I can put the lights up?" Then he waggled his eyebrows.

Giggling at his all too familiar antics she flashed him her megawatt smile and leaned over to kiss him deeply while raising her right hand to caress his weekend stubbled cheek.

Before the kiss got too carried away she pulled back and gently rubbed her nose against his.

"Soooooo?" Jack was asking optimistically in his deep voice.

"No," she stated simply and pulled back and removed her hand to rest it upon his.

"But Sam it…" He began to gesture to the box.

"No buts Jack." She was firm. "However," there was some lightness in her tone, "perhaps we could compromise."

Jack quirked his eyebrow in a classic T'ealc maneuver. "Compromise?"

"Yes," she patted his hand, "I'll agree to the lawn decorations." She quickly held up her hand to stop him from commenting. "Some of the decorations. I'll need make sure they work."

"Absolutely!" Jack began to lean in to hug Sam. "Thank you…."

"And," she continued by putting both hands on his chest to stop him advancing, "I want them closer to the curb not too close to the house." She tried to sound firm.

"Of course." He was smiling and leaning further into Sam.

"But…," She began as she noticed Jack had put down the tree limbs to kiss her again and was attempting to encroached upon her till she was now laying on her back.

"Thought you said, 'no buts'." He pinched her bottom to which she let out a quick, "Hey!" Then he was hovering over his lovely wife before boldly moving in for a searing kiss.

After several long minutes of blissful kissing Sam was able to finish her previous thought. "But I don't want to use those lights on our house." She was once again stroking her handsome husband's face.

"Oh come on Sam," He said as he propped himself up on his elbow. "It'll be fine."

"Look I'm not saying we can't put lights on the house." She paused briefly then turned her head to look at Jack. "Look if you want lights on the house. Fine. I'd simply prefer to go buy some new lights."

"Ok. But you said we can still use some of the lawn stuff?" Jack asked cautiously.

"Sure." Rolling her eyes she also rolled onto her side to face him with her left hand cradling her head. "I just would rather not burn down our house before we put it on the market in January."

He laid on his right side with his head resting on his bicep. "OK."

Reaching over to run her fingers through his long silver strands that had grown out and was barely within regulation for the four star general she asked, "Why are you wanting to put out so many decorations this year? We've never done it before."

The Jack and Sam had lived in this Arlington, VA house for almost seven years and they had barely managed the basic decorations of wreath, tree, and stockings each year. Come January, they were going to be putting it on the market to sale since the heroic and legendary general was finally being allowed to retire from his position as Head of Home World Security provided he remain accessible to the program. And newly promoted Brigadier General Samantha Carter was giving up gallivanting across the galaxy to be the new leader of Star Gate Command come January 5th. So they were excitedly planning on packing it up and moving back home to Colorado Springs.

Taking her right hand from his head he held it to his lips for a soft kiss. "Well, it's the first time and the last time that **everyone** is coming here for Christmas." There was a twinkle of excitement in his eyes.

All their closest friends, or rather family, were invited to DC for the holidays: Mark and his family, all of SG1, Cassie and several others. Most were staying with them here at their house after all Jack had insisted on buying a large home for some unknown reason to Sam. However, she quickly learned that Jack loved it when people visited. Therefore it would nicely accommodate numerous guests that planned on the Christmas journey this year. Only a couple of families this special occasion were staying in hotels courtesy of good 'ol Uncle Sam.

"But why are we doing this now?" She frowned. "It's still a week until Thanksgiving?" She had only arrived back on Earth four days ago and was prepping the _USS George Hammond_ for transfer of command to Colonel Lorne. Stringing lights and turning their home into a North Pole winter land was not on her "to do" list her first weekend back home.

"I didn't want to do it til you were home and next week we're going to Colorado." He sighed a bit, "Plus it's supposed to be gorgeous outside this weekend and I guess…," he got a bit quiet, "…I just wanted it to be extra nice for everyone." Then he added, "And there won't be anytime between Thanksgiving and Christmas." He closed his eyes and grumbled, "Too much paperwork."

It was incredible the amount of paper and red tape that had to be gone through when changing commands and he wanted it all sorted before company arrived. Some friends and family were expecting to begin coming in on December 23rd and staying through the New Year. After all Jack's big retirement shindig, as insisted on by the President and much to Jack's chagrin, was scheduled for the morning of the 31st and culminating with New Year's Eve festivities. General Kerrigan would be taking over for Home World Security instead of General Landry since Hank, like Jack, decided he was more than ready to call it quits.

"Plus I thought the guys would really get a kick out of it." Jack intertwined his fingers with hers and shrugged and smiled.

"Daniel and T'ealc won't care." Sam was slightly puzzled.

"Not those guys. The little guys!" Jack replied.

"Ohhhhh. Them." She shook her head at her husband. "Then they'll love it."

The little guys referred to all the children that had been born these last few years to their close friends and called them Grandpa Jack and Gammy Sam – specifically Cassie and Grogan's two little boys and girl, Jennifer Hailey and Graham Simmon's son, Cameron and Carolyn's twin girls, and Daniel and Vala's two adopted alien boys.

"That's what I thought." He reached up and kissed her.

Speaking softly between Jack's eager kisses and with a laughing lilt in her voice Sam said, "You know," she stretched her neck so Jack could have better access. "For two people who never had their own biological children together," Jack rolled her onto her back as he nuzzled her collar bone, "We sure have a lot of grandchildren."

"Hmmmhmmmm." Jack muttered against her skin and proceeded to enjoy having his wife home.

However before Jack got too engrossed Sam attempted to rise up and say somewhat breathily, "OK, not that I'm not enjoying this but I thought you wanted to put up some Christmas lights?"

Jack revealed his most charming smirk, "It'll keep for an hour or two."

"Really?" She said uncertain.

"Absolutely." He drawled out and laid her back down. "Besides who needs lights when I've got you."

Sam didn't understand, "What?"

Jack looked down at her cute confused expression and wagged his eyebrow. "Sure, don't you know you light up my life Carter?"

She couldn't help but laugh because he was just too corny, "Goofball," she said then playfully swatted his shoulder.

"Yeah but you love me," Jack said as he too was slightly laughing.

Sam reached up and put her hand around his neck to pull him down for another kiss, "That I do Grandpa Jack. That I do."

Needless to say the lights and decorations didn't get done until much later.

**The End**

**Author's Notes:** So, what did you think? I was just enjoying doing nothing today so decided to write a bit of fluff. Just thinking about what Jack and Sam might have been doing today.

Well, leave a review please – it would be much appreciated. Liked it or not – I always like to know if anyone is reading my stuff and what they think about it. Take time to read some of my other stuff if you enjoyed this. I have a few other ideas percolating….


End file.
